Hydrangea plant named &#39;lc no11&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘LC NO11’, characterized by its upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and uniform plant habit; freely branching habit with strong lateral branches; early and freely flowering habit with plants remaining in flower for a long period time; dense and hardy inflorescences with large and durable white-colored sterile flowers; and good garden performance.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Varieties of Hydrangea Plants

Inventor/Applicant: Alex Frederick Schoemaker

Provisional application Ser. No.: 62/973,658

Filed: Oct. 17, 2019

Inventor/Applicant hereby claim the benefit of this provisional U.S.Patent Application.

Title: Hydrangea Plant Named ‘LC NO10’

Inventor/Applicant: Alex Frederick Schoemaker

Filed: Concurrently with the instant application

Botanical designation: Hydrangea paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LC NO11’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instantplant was filed by the Inventor/Assignee, Mr. Alex Frederick Schoemakerof Boskoop, The Netherlands on Oct. 19, 2018, application number2018/2639. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor/Applicant and Assignee assert that no publications noradvertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distributionoccurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication. Any information about the claimed plant would have beenobtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from theInventor/Applicant and/or the Assignee. Inventor/Applicant and Assigneeclaim a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosureand/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior tothe effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea paniculata, commerciallyreferred to as a Hardy or Panicled Hydrangea and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘LC NO11’.

The new Hydrangea plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new Hydrangea plants with uniformplant habit and attractive inflorescences. The new Hydrangea plantoriginated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2013in Boskoop, The Netherlands, of Hydrangea paniculata ‘Silver Dollar’,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Hydrangea paniculata‘Vanille Fraise’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newHydrangea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollinationin a controlled greenhouse environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands inJuly, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hydrangea plant by vegetative tipcuttings in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands sinceAugust, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangeaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘LC NO11’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘LC NO11’ as a new and distinct Hydrangea plant:

-   -   1. Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading and uniform plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit with strong lateral branches.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit with plants remaining in        flower for a long period time.    -   4. Dense and hardy inflorescences with large and durable        white-colored sterile flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘Silver Dollar’. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarilyfrom plants of ‘Silver Dollar’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more compact than plants of        ‘Silver Dollar’.    -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea are distally        more rounded than and not as pointed as inflorescences of plants        of ‘Silver Dollar’.    -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea are more dense        than inflorescences of plants of ‘Silver Dollar’.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the maleparent, Wanille Fraise'. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarilyfrom plants of Vanille Fraise' in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more compact than plants of        Nanille Fraise'.    -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea are distally        more rounded than and not as pointed as inflorescences of plants        of ‘Vanille Fraise’.    -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea are more dense        than inflorescences of plants of ‘Vanille Fraise’.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the Hydrangeapaniculata ‘LC NO10’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filedconcurrently. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Hydrangeadiffer primarily from plants of ‘LC NO10’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are larger than and not as broad        as plants of ‘LC NO10’.    -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more vigorous and grow faster        than plants of ‘LC NO10’.    -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea have more        sterile and fertile flowers than inflorescences of plants of ‘LC        NO10’.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can also be compared to plants of theHydrangea paniculata ‘Sundae Fraise’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of‘Sundae Fraise’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are taller than plants of ‘Sundae        Fraise’.    -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more upright than and not as        outwardly spreading as plants of ‘Sundae Fraise’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance ofthe new Hydrangea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newHydrangea plant. The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘LC NO11’ grown in a container. Thephotographs on the second sheet are close-up views of typical leaves(top of sheet) and typical inflorescences (bottom of sheet) of ‘LCNO11’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the followingdescription were grown during the late summer in 21-cm containers in anoutdoor nursery in Boskoop, The Netherlands and under cultural practicestypical of commercial Hydrangea production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from about 16° C. to 35° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from about 12° C. to 22° C. Plants of the newHydrangea were pinched one time and were two years old when thephotographs and description were taken. As a Hardy or PanicledHydrangea, plants of the new Hydrangea are typically not treated withaluminum sulfate to “blue” the inflorescences. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea paniculata ‘LC NO11’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Hydrangea paniculata ‘Silver            Dollar’, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Hydrangea paniculata Fraise', not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at            temperatures about 16° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 120 days            at temperatures about 16° C. to 30° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            light brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent            on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and            formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to somewhat outwardly            spreading and uniform plant habit; overall plant shape,            upright narrow inverted triangular; strong and sturdy stems;            vigorous growth habit and moderate to high growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 79.6 cm.        -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 58 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Branching habit.—About 14 lateral branches develop per            plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development.        -   Length.—About 49.2 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 5.6 cm.        -   Texture.—When developing, moderately pubescent; fully            developed, woody.        -   Aspect.—Upright to about 15° from vertical.        -   Strength.—Strong, sturdy.        -   Color.—When developing: Upper surface, close to 199D; lower            surface, close to 145B. Developed: Upper surface, close to            185D; lower surface, close to 187C; proximally, close to            200D; when woody, close to 199C and N199A.        -   Lenticels.—Density: Sparse; none observed on developing            stems. Size, developed stems: About 1.5 mm by 0.75 mm.            Color, developed stems: Close to 165C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls of three, simple.        -   Length.—About 8.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 5.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Short apiculate.        -   Base.—Rounded to short attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate; coarsely undulate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Sparsely pubescent.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Mostly sparsely pubescent; densely            pubescent along midvein and lateral venation; slightly            rough.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to between            143A and 144A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to            146C. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close to            between 138A and 143A; venation, close to 151A. Fully            developed leaves, lower surface: Close to between 144A and            146B; venation, close to 193A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Texture and luster, upper surface: Sparsely pubescent;            matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;            matte. Color, upper surface: Close to 152D; towards the            edges, close to 174B. Color, lower surface: Close to 145C to            145D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Showy sterile flowers and smaller            inconspicuous fertile flowers arranged on terminal panicles;            panicles dense and broadly conical in shape; sterile flowers            face upright to outwardly and slightly drooping depending on            their position in the inflorescence; fertile flowers face            mostly upright.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering begins in the midsummer            and is continuous until late summer in Northern Europe.        -   Flower longevity.—Sterile flowers last about six weeks on            the plant, sterile flowers persistent; fertile flowers last            about five days on the plant, fertile flowers not            persistent.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 800            sterile flowers and about 225 fertile flowers per panicle.        -   Panicle height.—About 21.1 cm.        -   Panicle diameter.—About 15.7 cm.        -   Sterile flower buds.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About            1.2 cm. Shape: Broadly cup-shaped. Color: Close to 150D.        -   Fertile flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About            2.5 mm. Shape: Broadly obovate. Color: Close to 145D;            immature calyx, close to 145C to 145D.        -   Sterile flower diameter.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Sterile flower depth (height).—About 6 mm.        -   Fertile flower diameter.—About 7 mm.        -   Fertile flower depth (height).—About 5 mm.        -   Petals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Four or            occasionally five arranged in a single whorl. Length: About            2.5 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Ovate, concave. Apex:            Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster,            upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture            and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color:            When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155A.            Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155C;            color does not change with development.        -   Petals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Five            arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About            1.75 mm. Shape: Ovate, concave. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate.            Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,            glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower            surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening and            fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN155D; color does not            change with development. When opening and fully opened,            lower surface: Close to NN155B; color does not change with            development.        -   Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Typically            four or occasionally five arranged in a single whorl.            Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm. Shape: Broadly            elliptic to obovate and ovate, slightly concave. Apex:            Shallowly emarginate to obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper surface:            Close to between 155C and 157D. When opening, lower surface:            Close to 155C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to between            155C and 157A; with subsequent development, color becoming            closer to between 61D and 62B. Fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 157A; with subsequent development, color becoming            closer to 65D and towards the margins and apex, close to            62C.        -   Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a            single whorl. Length: About 1 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm.            Shape: Broadly deltoid. Apex: Broadly acuminate. Base:            Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When            opening, upper surface: Close to 145D. When opening, lower            surface: Close to 145C to Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 150D; color does not change with            development.        -   Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter:            About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 37.5°            from branch axis. Texture and luster: Moderately to densely            pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 157D.        -   Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Length: About 2.5 mm. Diameter:            About 0.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 20°            from vertical. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; matte.            Color: Close to 157C.        -   Reproductive organs, sterile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per            flower: About eight. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament            color: Close to NN155D. Anther length: About 0.6 mm. Anther            shape: Broadly oblong. Anther color: Close to 155D. Pollen            amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 161D. Pistils: To            date, pistil development has not been observed on sterile            flowers of plants of the new Hydrangea.        -   Reproductive organs, fertile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per            flower: About ten. Filament length: About 3.5 mm. Filament            color: Close to NN155B. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther            shape: Broadly oblong. Anther color: Close to 155D. Pollen            amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 161D. Pistils: Pistil            quantity per flower: Typically three or occasionally two.            Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma            color: Close to 157D. Style length: About 0.5 mm. Style            color: Close to 157D. Ovary color: Close to 150D.        -   Seeds.—To date, seed production has not been observed on            plants of the new Hydrangea.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, under commercial production    conditions, plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed to be    resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hydrangea plants.-   Garden performance:

Plants of the new Hydrangea have been observed have good gardenperformance and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘LC NO11’ as illustrated and described. 